Combination adjustable alligator-wrench and tire-tool.



0. H. ALLEN. COMBINATION ADJUSTABLE ALLIGATOR WRENCH AND TIRE TOOL. APPLICATION FILED OCT. '7, 1913.

1,1 15,763. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHOTO-LITHO-. WASHINGION. D C

CHARLES H. ALLEN, OF OAKLAND, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINATION ADJUSTABLE ALLIGATOR-WRENCH AND TIRE-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Applicationfiled October 7, 1913. Serial No. 793,889.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oakland, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combination Adjustable Alligator-VVrenches and Tire- Tools, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a class of tools adapted for use in mechanical work.

My invention has for its object primarily to provide an adjustable alligator wrench designed to be employed by plumbers, steamfitters, and automobile mechanicians for per-' mitting pipes, nuts, bolts, or the like to be readily fitted in their respective connections especially in instances where it is necessary to perform the work in a limited space, and which is of a form whereby an,

ber isbeveled to a blunt chisel edge. Adapted to cooperate with the jaw of the fixed handle member is a second jaw which is pivoted to the handle in a manner so as to be hingedly swung relatively to and from the first aw.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a manually operative adjusting element or key which serves to force the second jaw toward the first jaw as well as hold the second jaw against movement when suitably adjusted; and a further object of the invention is to provide a spring adapted to normally swing the second jaw in a direction from the first jaw.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a form of wrench of a simple and, efficient construction, and which is suscep-- tible of belng made 1n various sizes and shapes. 7

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corthe tool.

responding parts in all the views, the said nvention being more fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of wrench embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side View, partly fragmentary, of the handle member and one of the jaws of the tool. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the second jaw of Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line II-I1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryedge view of one end of the handle member of the tool, and Fig. 6 is a view of the spring employed in the tool.

The wrench has a fixed member 10 having a body portion or hub 11 which is preferably substantially circular in shape. The marginal peripheral edge of one surface of the hub 11 is cut-out to provide a circular groove, as 12, and also in the center of the same surface of the hub is a circular recess l3 midway of which is a hole provided through the hub. The recess 13 is spaced from the groove 12 so as to provide a substantially concentric flange 14; one part of which is slotted, at 15. Projecting from a part of the hub 11 is a handle 16 which may be of any suitable length, and the free end of said handle is beveled to a blunt chisel edge to permit the wrench to be conveniently used as a tool for facilitating the removal from or the application of pneumatic tires to vehicle wheels as well as enabling the tool to be advantageously employed for other purposes.

Extending from the hub 11 in an opposite direction from the handle 16 is a aw 17 one edge of which is straight with a plurality of teeth 18 provided'thereon, and the opposite edge of said jaw is tapered, as shown, so as to provide a comparatively pointed free end. The jaw 17 is disposed so that its toothed straight edge is on alinement with the axial center of the hub 11 and preferably on alinement with the longitudinal center of the handle 16. Also extending from part of the hub 11 which is approximately opposite to the jaw 17 is a .lug 19 having a threaded passage longitudinally therethrough. Serving to cooperate with the jaw 17 is a second jaw 20. The jaw 20 has a body portion or hub 21 which is preferably substantially circular in shape, and midway through the hub is a hole in register with the hole of the hub 11 of the fixed member 10. The central portion of one surface of the hub 21 is circularly cutout, or recessed, at 22, to provide a circular flange 23 at the peripheral edge of the hub, and a part of this flange is slitted, at 2%. The recess 2-2 of the hub 21 is of a diameter to admit therein the flange let of the hub 11 of the fixed member 10 so that when the hubs 11 and 21 are arranged in lapping contact the flange 23 of the hub 21 will be movably seated in the circular groove 22 of the hub 11. The hubs are then pivotally connected together by a pin or bolt, as 25. The second jaw 20 has a toothed straight edge 26, and the opposite edge of this jaw is tapered to provide a comparatively pointed free end similar to the jaw 17. The jaw 20 is disposed so that its teeth are in opposed relation to the teeth of the jaw 17, and said jaw is also disposed so that when clamped upon the first jaw its straight edge will be on alinement with the axial center of the hubs of the tool as well as on alinement with the longitudinal center of the handle 16.

By arranging the jaws of the tool in the manner described relatively to the handle thereof, and by providing pointed free ends the wrench may be conveniently employed to permit mechanical work to be performed in very limited spaces.

In order to normally swing the second jaw 20 in a direction from the jaw 17 disposed in the recess 13 of the hub 11 of the jaw 20 and arranged around the bolt 25 is a spring 27. One end of the spring 27 rests .in the slot 15 and against one end of the flange 14 of the hub 11 while the other end of said spring is seated in the slit 2 1 of the flange 23 of the hub 21 of the second jaw. The spring 27 thereby normally serves to force the second jaw away from the first aw.

Extending from the jaw 20 is a lug 28 one end of which forms a shoulder, as 29, which is in opposed relation to the interiorly threaded apertured lug 19 of the hub 11 of the fixed member, and for the purpose of suitably adjusting the jaw 20 relatively to the jaw 17 when the wrench is in use, I provide an adjusting element, or key 30. The key 30 is in the form of a threaded belt which is adjustably directed through the threaded passage of the lug 17, andone end of said key is in normal contact with the shoulder 29 of the lug 28 of the second jaw. On the other end of thekey, or bolt 30 is a head 31. By rotating the head 31 the key will be accordingly revolved so that the lug 28 and the second jaw will be adjustably swung toward the first jaw of the tool against the tension of the spring 27 which in turn will force the second jaw from the first jaw when the key is reversely rotated. Thus this form of alligator wrench will not alone serve to permit work to be readily accomplished in a limited space, but also enables a firm grip to be made upon the article being manipulated as well as tends to prevent the tool from slipping when in engagement with an article.

In the foregoing description, I have embodied the preferred form of my invention, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention,

therefore I reserve to myself the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 7 Patent 1. In a wrench of the character described, the combination of two mating jaws, each having a circular plate with a central opening therethrough, a pivot disposed through the openings whereby the aws are hingedly secured together, an annular rib on the inner side of one of the plates at a slight distance from the peripheral edge of the plate, said rib having a space between its ends adjacent the juncture of the jaw with said plate, whereby a recess is provided for a substantially U-shaped spring around the central pivot of the wrench, and an annular flange at the peripheral edge of the opposing plate adapted to fit outside of the rib of the first plate, said flange having a notch adapted for admitting and retaining one end of the said spring whereby the jaws are normally held apart, and means for forcibly setting the jaws together, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a wrench of the character described, an integrally formed jaw and handle, with a circular plate at the juncture thereof, said circular plate having a central opening for admitting a pin, an annular rib between the central opening and the peripheral edge of the plate whereby a recess is provided in the inner surface of this plate, said rib having a passage therethrough adjacent the juncture of the jaw with said circular plate, and a mating jaw having an integrally formed circular plate provided with a central opening adapted to admit a pin for pivoting it to the first plate, and the second plate having also an annular peripheral flange adapted to fit over the rib of the first plate whereby an inclosed recess is provided between the two circular plates, said flange having a notch in which is seated one end of a substantially U-shaped spring disposed in the recess and around the central pin whereby the jaws are normally held in an open position, and means for adjustably moving the jaws to a closed position, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wrench of the character described,

a handle integrally formed with one jaw,

and having a circular plate with a central opening, and having an annular rib between the opening and the peripheral edge of the plate whereby a recess is provided in one side of the plate, said rib being split adjacent the juncture of the jaw and its plate, and a second circular plate having a central opening for admitting a pin whereby the two plates are pivotally secured together,

the second plate having an integral jaw cooperating with the first jaw, and having also an annular flange at its peripheral edge fitting over the annular rib of the first plate, and said flange having a notch; in combination with a substantially U-shaped spring disposed in the recess between the two circular plates, said spring having oneof its ends abutting against the end of the annular rib adjacent the juncture of the first plate with the second plate, and its opposite end seated in the notch provided in the flange of the second plate whereby the jaws are nor- RoB'r. B. Anno'r'r, M. DERMODY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

